Airbag and airbag system

Abstract

An airbag and an airbag system are disclosed. In one form, the airbag includes a first tether belt that connects a front panel and a rear panel together and becomes tense when the airbag inflates into a normal shape, a second tether belt that connects the front panel and the rear panel together and is shorter than the first tether belt and a third tether belt that connects the side rim and the center of the rear panel together. The airbag first inflates into a form in which the inflation toward the occupant and in the lateral direction is restrained by the second tether belt and the third tether belt. Thereafter, when the airbag inflates into a normal shape, both of the second tether belt and the third tether belt release the restraint; when the airbag inflates into an abnormal shape, only the third tether belt releases the restraint.

1 . An airbag apparatus comprising: 
 an airbag for being deployed and inflated in a predetermined first direction toward an occupant generally at a first distance from the airbag prior to being deployed and in a predetermined second direction transverse to the first direction;    a restraint in the airbag that is arranged and configured to cause the airbag to expand transversely in the second direction with the occupant engaged with the airbag at a second distance from the airbag less than the first distance without requiring that the occupant push the airbag opposite to the first direction.    
   
   
       2 . The airbag apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the restraint comprises a plurality of distinct tether members.  
   
   
       3 . The airbag apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the airbag has a plurality of stages of inflation in the second direction with size of the airbag at each stage defined by the restraint.  
   
   
       4 . The airbag apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the restraint includes a releasable connection that is broken after an initial stage of airbag inflation in the second direction to cause the airbag to reach a subsequent stage of airbag inflation in the second direction with the airbag size in the second direction greater at the subsequent inflation stage than at the initial inflation stage.  
   
   
       5 . The airbag apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the restraint comprises a tether member with the releasable connection being between the tether member and the airbag and being of a predetermined strength so that with the occupant at the second distance and in engagement with the deployed airbag, the releasable connection will be broken to allow the size of the airbag to increase in the second direction.  
   
   
       6 . The airbag apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the restraint includes a first releasable connection for being broken to increase airbag size in the first direction, and a second releasable connection for being broken to increase airbag size in the second direction.  
   
   
       7 . The airbag apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the restraint includes a plurality of releasable connections, with a first one of the releasable connections being broken and a second one of the connections remaining intact with the airbag inflated toward an occupant at the first distance from the airbag, and the second connection being broken and the first connection remaining intact with the airbag inflated toward an occupant at the second distance from the airbag.  
   
   
       8 . The airbag apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the restraint includes a plurality of releasable connections that have different connection strengths for being broken based on the distance at which an occupant is from the airbag prior to deployment thereof.  
   
   
       9 . The airbag apparatus of  claim 1  which the restraint includes a releasable connection for being broken so that the airbag expands in the second direction with the occupant at the second distance, and 
 a vent opening of the airbag that is operable to release inflation gas from the airbag with the releasable connection broken.    
   
   
       10 . An airbag apparatus comprising 
 an airbag for being deployed and inflated in a predetermined first direction toward an occupant and inflated in a predetermined second direction transverse to the first direction;    a restraint operable to restrict airbag inflation in the first and second directions;    a first portion of the restraint that is operable to provide the airbag with sequential stages of inflation in the first direction with an occupant at a first distance from the airbag prior to deployment; and    a second portion of the restraint that is operable to provide the airbag with sequential stages of inflation in the second direction with an occupant at a second distance from the airbag prior to deployment with the second distance being less that the first distance.    
   
   
       11 . The airbag apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the first and second restraint portions each include a releasable connection to the airbag so that the connection is intact during an initial one of the inflation stages and the connection is broken to shift to a subsequent one of the inflation stages.  
   
   
       12 . The airbag apparatus of  claim 10  which the second restraint portion includes a releasable connection to the airbag having a predetermined strength such that the releasable connection breaks with the airbag inflated to be in engagement with the occupant at the second distance.  
   
   
       13 . The airbag apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the restraint comprises a plurality of distinct tether members.  
   
   
       14 . The airbag apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the first restraint portion includes first and second tether members with the first tether member having slack and taut conditions and the second tether member having opposite taut and slack conditions in an initial one of the inflation stages and a subsequent one of the inflation stages, respectively, of airbag inflation in the first direction with the occupant at the first distance, and the second restraint portion includes a third tether member that is arranged and configured to have initial and subsequent taut conditions so that the third tether member has different lengths in an initial one of the inflation stages and a subsequent one of the inflation stages of airbag inflation in the second direction with the occupant at the second distance.  
   
   
       15 . The airbag apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the third tether member has a releasable connection to the airbag that is broken to allow the airbag to shift from the initial inflation stage to the subsequent inflation stage in the second direction.  
   
   
       16 . The airbag apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the second and third members are formed integrally with each other.  
   
   
       17 . The airbag apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the second restraint portion has a releasable connection that is broken to allow the airbag to shift from an initial one of the inflation stages to a subsequent one of the inflation stages in the second direction.  
   
   
       18 . The airbag apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the airbag includes a first vent opening that remains open during inflation with the occupant at either the first or second distances, and a second vent opening that is only fully open during one of the inflation stages that is subsequent to an initial one of the inflation stages in the second direction with the occupant at the second distance.  
   
   
       19 . The airbag apparatus of  claim 18  wherein the first and second openings are distinct openings in the airbag.  
   
   
       20 . The airbag apparatus of  claim 18  wherein the first and second vent openings are in communication with each other.  
   
   
       21 . The airbag apparatus of  claim 20  wherein the second vent opening comprises an opening in the airbag, and the first vent opening comprises an opening in the second restraint portion aligned with a portion of the second vent airbag opening so that the first vent opening is smaller than the second vent opening.  
   
   
       22 . The airbag apparatus of  claim 10  including an inflator that supplies inflation gas to the airbag.